The front wheels of a vehicle normally slope outwardly at the top to a slight degree relative to the ground, and this angle of slope of the wheel when resting on the ground is referred to as the angle of camber. If the angle is too large or too small, it will have a tremendous effect on the tire life of the front wheels of the vehicle and on the directional stability of the vehicle. Accordingly, it is of utmost importance to quickly and easily determine if the angle of camber of a vehicle wheel is proper, and if not, to correct it.
Presently, there are a number of complex devices for determining the angle of camber and caster of vehicle wheels and for generally aligning the front end of vehicles. Typically, such apparatus includes a large frame onto which the front wheels of the vehicle are driven. Then the camber and/or caster and/or toe of each of the vehicle wheels is checked and corrected. As will be understood, such devices are large in size, complex, and costly, which results in the aligning process being relatively expensive.
In the past, relatively small tools, of a size that can be carried by hand, have been developed for checking the camber and/or caster of each of the front wheels separately. However, such tools have not been generally satisfactory. More particularly, in some prior art arrangements, the tools must be adjusted to the diameter of the particular wheel. Such adjustments result in built-in inaccuracies during the camber measurement. In addition, in such prior art tools, the tool must be "zeroed" to a reference setting before it can be used to check the camber angle.
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved tool for checking the camber angle of a vehicle wheel which overcomes one or more of the aforesaid drawbacks. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an improved camber tool which is small, inexpensive, and easy to employ, and wherein the tool does not require any adjustments or reference settings before it is used.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved camber tool which is completely preset and predetermined for different size vehicle wheels so that the tool does not have to be "zeroed" before use and thereby minimizes the amount of skill and knowledge required by the operator to use the tool.